El Camino Real de la Tierra Adentro

This Spanish colonial road was also called the “Royal Road” or the “King’s Highway.” For 300 years it was the only thoroughfare to the rest of the empire for the inhabitants of New Mexico. It is the oldest highway running north and south, and at one time was the longest road in North America. Some of the route incorporated existing trading trails. It was used by Spanish conquistadores and colonizers, and in 1598 Juan de Oñate’s expedition extended the length of the road up to San Juan Pueblo. Although the route lost its importance with the arrival of the railroad in 1885, it is still considered an integral part of U.S., Native American, Mexican, and Spanish history, creating a cultural exchange that changed the region forever.